Poseidon Awakens (Chapter 5)

Chapter Five of a serialized novella
New chapters every Tuesday and Friday

The “Kraken turned man” blocked the entrance to the cavern, his arms positioned on his hips as if he were a father preparing to scold his son. Only Oscar knew it was more than a spanking in his future. Death, perhaps?

“You want me to what?”

The Kraken nodded. “You heard me. I want you to tell your man of science that I’ve got something more powerful than what Poseidon has promised him..something that will make him a god.”

Oscar knew it would be an easy sell. He also knew in his gut that what the sea-beast was offering would be death for all mankind.

“And if I don’t?”

The creature’s eyes shone bright orange and yellow, and his teeth glistened in the dim light of the cavern. His response was little more than a growl. “You don’t really want me to answer that, do you?”

Oscar gulped. “No. Alright, I’ll do it. But, how do I prove it to the professor? He’ll think I’m just making stuff up.”

The Kraken held out its hand. Oscar reluctantly took the small, oval-shaped object from the creature.

“This key opens the largest of the cylinders that you removed from Poseidon’s temple. The scroll inside has everything the professor needs to put Poseidon back to sleep. Once Poseidon is contained, I’ll give him what he needs to build The Host.”

Not waiting for a response, the creature began to shift back into its true form as it returned to the sea.

Man, this is a bad idea. Such a bad idea.

But Oscar was a man of his word. If he said he’d do something, he’d do it. Even if it was a promise made to a sea creature.

He waited until dusk, then made his way towards the ship.

There was a flurry of activity. People were running back and forth, shouting orders, and gawking as the last haul of the day was brought on board.

Oscar watched a boom nearly hit several men before the operator was able to stop its wild sway. At the end of the massive hoist was something that looked like a small ship. It had round portholes and some kind of a propeller, but that was all he saw before they boxed it up and sent it down into the hold.

A ship? Or something else?